In a work of extraordinary narrative power, filled with brilliant personalities and vivid scenes of dramatic action, Robert K. Massie, the Pulitzer...
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Nov 12, 2011
Matt
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The thing about World War I that most sparks my imagination is its occurrence at a unique point in history, where the pre-modern technologies of the 19th century entwined with the familiar, modern technologies of the 20th. The result was quaint and disastrous and fascinating to behold. British officers still armed themselves with swagger sticks, important towns were still fortified, and the cavalry remained an important military branch. Meanwhile, poison gas, airplanes, high-powered artillery (a
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Feb 23, 2009
Larry
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This tome is an in-depth history of the naval war between England and Germany during World War I. England had staked its national security and that or its empire on the Royal Navy. Germany's chronically insecure Kaiser had tried to build a fleet to match that of his cousin, the English King, but had diverted so much of his budget to his Imperial Army that his goal was not achieveable before the War overtook his efforts. The British strategic plan was to take advantage of the Royal Navy's numeric
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Jan 09, 2011
Tneeno
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Robert Massie's sequel to his superb Dreadnought, Castles of Steel depicts the epic naval struggle for command of the seas between Britain and Germany, culminating in the massed naval showdown at Jutland.
Massie's command of his material is superb. He writes clearly, making the most complex situations crystal clear. I particularly enjoyed his description of the running naval battles with the Goeben and other German commerce raiders at the beginning of the war. But Massie's real streng More...
Massie's command of his material is superb. He writes clearly, making the most complex situations crystal clear. I particularly enjoyed his description of the running naval battles with the Goeben and other German commerce raiders at the beginning of the war. But Massie's real streng More...
Apr 19, 2011
Mark
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Although I'm more of a tank man, there is something majestic and powerful about the battleship - like a Tyrannosaurus Rex of the seas. World War I was simultaneously their peak with the new dreadnought class ships, and the harbinger of their extinction with the rise of submarine and air warfare. Robert Massie does an amazing job of describing the war from the point of view of the British and German navies. Do not think this is just a book about big boats - there are prime ministers and politi
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May 02, 2009
Sam
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This was the book that got me hook on WW I naval warfare. It is brilliantly written and the pages fly by. Since I knew so little of the history going into it I found it exciting and a page turner as I could not wait to see what happened. The very first chapter grabbed me as the nations of Europe one by one declared war on each other and the naval forces of the med postured for war. It made for a tense setting as the British navy hunted for HMS Goeben.
Massie does a brilliant job of discuss More...
Massie does a brilliant job of discuss More...
Oct 28, 2009
Jill
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This is a "must read" if you are a Massie fan, a student of WWI history or interested in the developing stages of modern sea power. This is a wonderful narrative of the war at sea between the Grand Fleet of Great Britain and the High Seas Fleet of Imperial Germany. Massie weaves a fascinating tale of the tug-of-war between the politicians and the naval commanders on one side, and the power of the Kaiser over the Navy on the other.
Massie gives interesting insights into the person More...
Massie gives interesting insights into the person More...
Sep 10, 2009
Joe
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I came to this very well written piece of popular history after reading the author’s previous book “Dreadnought” which covered Anglo-German naval rivalry up to the outbreak of the First World War. “Castles of Steel” (a phrase from Churchill) takes a largely strategic view of the conduct of the war at sea and in particular the struggle between Britain and Germany.
There are some exciting stories here and the author tells them well; the chases across miles of ocean, the often terrifying More...
There are some exciting stories here and the author tells them well; the chases across miles of ocean, the often terrifying More...
Feb 04, 2012
Brian
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Robert Massie's approach to understanding World War I through the naval battles is original and thought provoking. It is one of the best he has ever written and the prefect accompaniment to his book Dreadnought. The book tracks how the German and British navies reacted during the war and the strategies employed by both. Whether it is the chasing of cruisers around South America or the battles between the Grand Fleet (Great Britain) and the High Seas Fleet (Germany) the detail and analysis is top
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Jun 07, 2010
MS
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Excellent book, Massie is so good. Sequel to "Dreadnought," tells the story of the naval battles of World War I. World War I was really the first opportunity for a full fledged fleet-level engagement between modern, steel, big-gun battleships, but the German fleet avoided such a confrontation until it accidentally happened at Jutland. Even then, the Germans broke off from the full Armageddon battle sought by the British (and by readers) before it could fully unfold. It never happen
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Jun 16, 2009
Johnny
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This is a hefty volume, but it covers WWI naval history better than any I've read before. Robert K. Massey writes with more color and illuminates more character than Barbara Tuchman (The First Salute and Guns of August) such that the details behind and concerning the build-up to these engagements at sea and the engagements themselves read more like "story" than "history." Frankly, I read Alexander Fullerton's novel about the chase of the Goeben into the Dardanelles and on int
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Oct 18, 2009
Brian
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Mr. Massie is unquestionably a genius with regards to historical narrative. At almost no point throughout the nearly 800 pages of this book did I feel bored or disinterested. Massie has a distinct skill for weaving personal accounts, letters, and impressions into a framework of immense quantities of technical data. The structure of the book, generally focused on individuals and their personalities, allows Massie to construct an epic work of panoramic scale and yet keep the reader intrigued with
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Feb 19, 2008
Richard
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I enjoyed Robert Massie’s Castles of Steel more than the preceding book Dreadnought. While Dreadnought was a good book, it focused more on the personalities in the naval arms race between Great Britain and Germany rather than the ships themselves. As a history of the personalities and political intrigues from the ascendancy of Bismarck to the eve of war in August 1914, Dreadnought was an interesting book. However, it was not much of a history of the dreadnoughts themselves.
Castles of More...
Castles of More...
Nov 27, 2007
Curtis
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This book is essentially volume two of Massie's work on the development of the dreadnought class warships. This book follows up with their deployment in World War One and consequent strategies that proved unrealistic and how the new and fast developing technology of the submarine affected them. The British Navy had traditionally considered it's role to be that of making a land invasion of the home isles impossible and had planned on a close blockade of the continent in the case of Germany in p
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Jul 31, 2009
M. D.
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I liked this even better than Massie's Dreadnought, since this book actually features naval warfare rather than just naval arms races. Massie gets in the facts, but also manages to convey the pity of war along with the bravery, personality clashes, and bureaucratic bullshit that also characterizes war (and every other human endeavor). Such huge ships. So many dead sailors. Such an incredible waste... and yet a pretty gripping tale too.
Mar 01, 2011
Al
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This is the sequel to Massie's Dreadnought, and covers naval actions in WW I. Prior to the aircraft carrier, ship to ship actions were what generated the first arms race of the 20th century. The opening of WW II, ie. the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, completely shattered that paradigm. Excellent book which covers the influence Churchil and Jackie Fisher had on the building of the RN.
Jul 01, 2008
Hotspur
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The natural successor to DREADNOUGHT, Castles is an overview of the significant naval campaigns of the Great War, 1914-1918. From the Escape of the Goeben to the Scuttle at Scapa Flow, Massie informs and entertains the reader with a straightforward depiction (from a noticeably Anglo-centric view, of course) of historical naval battles. Massie being Massie, he can't avoid some of the gossip and behind the scenes stories concerning great events. The section concerning the maneuvering of Beatty
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Aug 23, 2011
Inert1
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I was fascinated by the level of detail in the book, which comingles the political, strategic, tactical, and technical aspects of naval warfare. I hadn't thought about the practical aspects of operating a steam battleship, and it was impressive to read about all of the issues that have to be addressed. The story of the evolution of ships is also continued from Massie's earlier book, Dreadnought, as are the stories of the German and British governments' quirks and machinations.
Nov 06, 2011
John
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Not as flowing nor as readable as the previous book "Dreadnought." Still a great story. The structure of naval warfare, like all warfare, and the structure of the book is long periods of dull routine followed by short bouts of terror and panic. Overall it's a worthwile read.
Aug 23, 2010
Hugh
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Very good account of the naval war of WWI. Excellent analysis of the Beatty/Jellicoe controversy (I'm a Jellicoe man myself). A companion to the same author's Dreadnought.
Aug 09, 2011
Alistair
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This was an excellent follow up to Dreadnought. This book is able to cover all the major naval engagements of WWI in a great deal drama, with out getting bogged down in the tiny details.
Aug 05, 2011
If you are interested in the period prior to the outbreak of war in 1914, and all that led up to the conflict, this book and Massie's earlier book "Dreadnought" are essential reading.
Jul 15, 2009
Kristopher
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If you're interested in WWI British Naval history then this is the book for you. Thick and at times dryly academic but very detailed and exciting.
Jan 27, 2011
Kirk
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Ridiculously long. Excessively detailed. But the account of the Jutland made it all worthwhile.
Nov 25, 2008
Thomas
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rarely ahve I read a non fiction book that was so fascinating in detail
Jul 29, 2011
Moves about as fast as an iceberg, but for a naval dork it is pure heaven.
Feb 22, 2011
Brian
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A very good synopsis of World War I at sea. Historical analysis a bit weak.
Feb 21, 2011
Todd
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This was the first book by Robert Massie I have read. He has a talent to breathe life into historical figures and historical settings that even a casual reader can enjoy. However, this is also a nice addition to the historical enthusiast's, of The Great War naval engagements, library. I have yet to get the Dreadnought which is the time period prior to WWI and the lead in to this book.
Sep 11, 2008
Bret
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A bit dry and technical in places (and long) for those with no interest in World War I or military history, but full of interesting facts and anecdotes for those who are.
Mar 17, 2008
Steve
rated it:
It was perfectly described as "a work of extraordinary narrative power, filled with brilliant personalities and vivid scenes of dramatic action."
